How do you build a better place? It takes effective transportation solutions, good Urban Design, good planning, and the political will to make it happen.

Monday, January 09, 2006

Proposed Changes to the 30 and 31

Of all the changes that UTA has proposed, the worst of the lot is the cutting of service on Routes 30 and 31.

Presently both of them travel from the Valley Fair Mall to the Fred Meyer store at 3300 South and 3300 East. Both routes are extremely busy.

The plan presented by the UTA would basically make these almost shuttle routes (of course UTA calls everything a shuttle but that's another story). The 30 would travel from 2100 South TRAX station to Parley and Foothill and layover probably where the 5 now lays over. The 31 route will start at the Millcreak (3300 South) TRAX station and travel to the current terminal at the Fred Meyer store.

Here is a list of problems with this proposal:

1. Will make travel on the east side harder. While the 14 runs along the short stretch, it is diffacylt to make transfers from the 14 to the other routes especially the proposed 30.

2. Ignores overcrowding on buses from Valley Fair Mall to the TRAX station. OK they are going to make the 37 every 20 minutes, however the 31 and the 37 both are already over crowded along that stretch. It would make more sense to run both routes on an alternating basis between these 2 points providing every 10 minute service to relieve over crowding.

3. This does not decrease the number of transfers that people have to make it will increase them. It is basically cutting the West Valley area off from the eastside on the two of the busiest bus corridors UTA has.

4. There is great potential at the 2100 South TRAX station and lots of changes in the area. UTA should be focusing on improving service to this market not killing it all off. The only direction of travel will be east or on TRAX.

Here is a couple of alternatives that could be implemented.

1. Since the 37 already serves most of the 3500/3000 South Corridor, just continue it on all the way to Fred Meyer and continue to have the 30 interconnect there.

Good: One ride throughout the corridorBad: Long Route, timekeeping could be an issue.

2. Create a whole new route. Run the 30 and 31 as proposed by run them as one line then when the route reaches 2100 South continue it north along 300 West, serve the transportation center then loop through downtown. OK, I know UTA ran a shuttle down 300 west after TRAX started and it was a failure, but look at much 300 West is now booming with Super Wal-Mart and others going in along the corridor. While this is not a perfect solution, at least it makes up for the rest of the cuts.